ArgoT

EZ I like your format.Especially 3-6 seedings.Of course, you can have 1 and 2 being the division winners regardless of the record in the horrible East.When the 10th team comes in, I hope not but something tells me there may be an 8 team playoff.With the usual 1vs4 and 2vs3, therefore there are no byes for the division winners, that I like.

bobo82

No. The East/West format is preferable. Once the East gets a 5th team then the crossover can be eliminated and we'll always have the traditional East/West Grey Cup.

Adding a 5th team to the East will hypothetically not be a cure all and magic elixir to fix and eliminate the crossover . As an example , what if the 3rd place team in the East ( or even the West for that matter) has a record that is below the 4th place finisher in the other division ? Let's take this year that just finished and add the imaginary alleged 5th team in the East and have them finish below the 3rd place Cats with a worse record . This scenario would have had the 6-12 Cats making the play-offs and the 4th place 10-8 Riders missing them if you eliminated the crossover and just went with the top 3 teams in each division . Basically even if the league eventually does get that coveted 10th franchise they would still have to use the crossover format in some years to ensure that the top 6 teams record wise are in the play-offs .

PTBO Dave

It doesn't look bad in this particular example, but it could get pretty weird.

Imagine if you will that two East teams wind up seeded into the West bracket, while two West teams get seeded into the East bracket.

Yes, it could effectively eliminate the divisions depending on the seedings. It could also lead, in theory, to the team with the sixth best record being seeded second and awarded with hosting a divisional final.

With a tenth team an actual possibility on the horizon now, why not just reduce the inter-divisional games now so that the divisions actually mean something for the regular season and not just for the playoffs, and then when the divisions are balanced, eliminate the wildcard crossover, minimize inter-divisional games and go from there.

PTBO Dave

No. The East/West format is preferable. Once the East gets a 5th team then the crossover can be eliminated and we'll always have the traditional East/West Grey Cup.

Adding a 5th team to the East will hypothetically not be a cure all and magic elixir to fix and eliminate the crossover . As an example , what if the 3rd place team in the East ( or even the West for that matter) has a record that is below the 4th place finisher in the other division ? Let's take this year that just finished and add the imaginary alleged 5th team in the East and have them finish below the 3rd place Cats with a worse record . This scenario would have had the 6-12 Cats making the play-offs and the 4th place 10-8 Riders missing them if you eliminated the crossover and just went with the top 3 teams in each division . Basically even if the league eventually does get that coveted 10th franchise they would still have to use the crossover format in some years to ensure that the top 6 teams record wise are in the play-offs .

I think if the league drastically reduces inter-divisional play, then a. the chances of one division having teams with much greater records than the other division goes way down, and b. even if there is such disparity, the records would be based on such different schedules (unlike now, when each teams plays the same number of games against each division) that it would be justifiable in my mind to have the team with the lower record seeded.

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ArgoT

When the 10th team comes in you have to have a balance schedule playing each team home and away.It get's tiring when you play the same team 3-4 times per year and more.We all remember when we had 8 teams, it was 5 times per year with some teams.

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Aerial

It get's tiring when you play the same team 3-4 times per year and more.

I never can understand this when in baseball many fans enjoy a 4 game homestand agains't the same team. One of the things I love about the fewer teams is that you do get to play more agains't the same team, I think it adds more to intrigue. I'm in line with many baseball fans on this one. It's great to see how a team responds after winning/losing to a team and getting a few more chances to correct or what have you agains't the same team.

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PTBO Dave

When the 10th team comes in you have to have a balance schedule playing each team home and away.It get's tiring when you play the same team 3-4 times per year and more.We all remember when we had 8 teams, it was 5 times per year with some teams.

If fans want a balanced schedule to avoid the same matchups, then the league should go with a unified structure and seed playoff teams from 1-6 based on the records from that unified schedule.

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pw13

With a tenth team an actual possibility on the horizon now, why not just reduce the inter-divisional games now so that the divisions actually mean something for the regular season and not just for the playoffs, and then when the divisions are balanced, eliminate the wildcard crossover, minimize inter-divisional games and go from there.

Because the league is already too small as it is. Why would Argo fans want to see Hamilton, Ott and Montreal even more than the three times they already see (two of) those teams each year? And why would Argo owners want Sask to come to town (with all its ticket-buying fans) just once every two years?

One of the strengths of every other league is a multiplicity of opponents. Raptors have 29 other teams to play, so fans don't get sick of them playing any one team. In the old days before fully-interlocking schedules, Argos could play Hamilton four times a season, plus preseason. Too many.

beaglehound

It get's tiring when you play the same team 3-4 times per year and more.

I never can understand this when in baseball many fans enjoy a 4 game homestand agains't the same team. One of the things I love about the fewer teams is that you do get to play more agains't the same team, I think it adds more to intrigue. It's great to see how a team responds after winning/losing to a team and getting a few more chances to correct or what have you agains't the same team.

Aerial,

Do you always have to be so darn logical and practical all the time?! *lol* I'm always looking for something to disagree with you about but each time I come up dry! Man-oh-man. Good post!

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Hank01

It get's tiring when you play the same team 3-4 times per year and more.

I never can understand this when in baseball many fans enjoy a 4 game homestand agains't the same team. One of the things I love about the fewer teams is that you do get to play more agains't the same team, I think it adds more to intrigue. It's great to see how a team responds after winning/losing to a team and getting a few more chances to correct or what have you agains't the same team.

Aerial,

Do you always have to be so darn logical and practical all the time?! *lol* I'm always looking for something to disagree with you about but each time I come up dry! Man-oh-man. Good post!

Too much playing one team over and over again when it's a contact sport with small schedule like football it's like eating too many sweets it will rot your teeth out .

The whole idea of 10 teams is to have a balanced schedule . In baseball like hockey with so many games to play 162 in Baseball you can need to have some rivalry with more interdivisional matchups . It heightens the schedule with familiarity of a rival yankees or tigers.

With only a measly 10 teams and 9 home games you can't really do it without taking away the rivalry with a ho hum it's Hamilton again approach to game day .

Aerial

I absolutely love playing the same team a lot in the CFL. If others don't get that, that's your problem.

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One of the strengths of every other league is a multiplicity of opponents. Raptors have 29 other teams to play, so fans don't get sick of them playing any one team. In the old days before fully-interlocking schedules, Argos could play Hamilton four times a season, plus preseason. Too many.

Too many? Are you nuts or off your rocker pw? Albeit I respect your twisted logic that makes sense to you and others in your camp, not me though. This IS the strength of the CFL and baseball fans get it and know it and that's why best 4 out 7 playoff series in sports that go the full length of 7 games have the most intrigue. The CFL is like a league that is playoffs during the regular season. How much better can it get for pete sakes? Basic, very basic logic.

Multiplicity of opponents? Well then the CFL isn't your league, go follow leagues that have 30 some odd teams, go for it then. The pure strength of the CFL is playing opponents often. Sort of like butter and toast for breakfast. I do this everyday, eat toast everyday and cereal and eggs and never, ever get tired of it. Must be the English in me as well that potatoes everyday with meat, simply perfect. Or my Fathers side, pasta, could do this everyday as well and be totally in sync.

But I repeat, the CFL can only do so much for playing different opponents and have divisions with an 8-10 team league for those that see "problems" with playing a team "too often" with an 18 game schedule. I'm not a math major but I do get this. 30 team leagues would probably fit your bill much better.